The Young Man's Guide to
the Harmonious
Development of Christian Character

by Harvey Newcomb, 1847

ON DOING ONE THING AT A TIME

What is worth doing at all, is worth the undivided
attention; but John can never be satisfied to do but one thing at a time. By
attempting to read or play while dressing, he consumes double the time that
is necessary. He reads at the table, and, in consequence, keeps the table
waiting for him to finish his meal. He turns his work into play, and thus
his work is slighted, and frequently left half done. When he goes to his
lesson, his attention is arrested by something else before he has fairly
commenced, and he stops to look or listen. Or perhaps he insensibly falls
into a reverie, and is engaged in building "castles in the air," until
something happens to call back his spirit from the fairy land. The
consequence is, the lesson is acquired but imperfectly, while twice the
needful time has been spent upon it. At the same time, nothing else is
accomplished. This, is what I call busy idleness.

The true way to accomplish the most, and to do it in the
best manner, is to confine the attention strictly to the thing in hand, and
to bend all the energies of the mind to that one object, aiming to do it in
the best possible manner, in the least possible time. By adopting this
principle, and acting upon it, you will be surprised to find how much more
expeditiously you will accomplish what you undertake, and how much better it
will be done. It is indispensable to success in any undertaking.

Closely connected with this subject, is the systematic
division of time. Where there is no system, one duty will jostle
another, and much time will be wasted in considering what to do next; all of
which would be avoided, by having a regular routine of duties, one coming
after the other in regular order, and so having a set time for each. This
cannot be carried out perfectly, because there will every day be something
to do that was not anticipated. But it may be so far pursued as to avoid
confusion and waste of time.